Of feasts and private celebrations
by Lilja Rainheart
Summary: Kíli actually liked feasts. Feasts with lots of good food and drinks and songs and everyone having fun in the way dwarves liked to have fun. However, what he didn't like were the kind of feasts where there were also elves and men and it was more about political reasons than anything else. Fíli/Kíli. This story contains sibling incest; don't like, don't read.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own The Hobbit or any of the characters.  
**Comments:** Fluff! I needed fluff! Canon, what is canon? Set after the Battle of the Five Armies and nobody's dead, hooray.

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Kíli actually liked feasts. Feasts with lots of good food and drinks and songs and everyone having fun in the way dwarves liked to have fun. However, what he didn't like were the kind of feasts where there were also elves and men and it was more about political reasons than anything else. There had been many of said kind since they were back at Erebor… and as the king's nephews and his heirs, he and Fíli were expected to be present.

Tonight was one of these occasions and although the feast had no important purpose that had to be discussed, Kíli just knew it was going to be boring. He'd much rather spend the evening in private, just with Fíli, but not showing up would definitely end with Thorin yelling at them and giving them a lecture about their responsibilities for the umpteenth time.

What Kíli hated even more than the uneventful festivities, though, was how he was supposed to dress 'properly'. Those fancy clothes and everything just weren't him and it felt like a masquerade more than anything. Fíli seemed to adjust to the circumstances better than he did, but then Fíli had always been the one to quietly accept the necessities while Kíli complained about them.

Sometimes, and Kíli felt guilty for even thinking it, he wished they had never come back to Erebor. Life in exile had been harder but without many responsibilities for them and Kíli missed those carefree days in Ered Luin.

After getting dressed, Kíli stared at his reflection in the mirror, trying to figure out what to do with his hair. He couldn't leave it like he usually did for every day. He knew exactly how to braid Fíli's hair to make it look good, he did it all the time after all. But when it came to himself he was lost.

"Let me do it for you," Fíli said quietly as he stepped up behind his brother and carded his fingers through the dark locks. Kíli smiled at Fíli through the mirror and nodded. He moved over to sit on the edge of the bed and Fíli sat down next to him as he started to brush out his hair.

"I'll never understand how you manage to get your hair so tangled," Fíli said while he loosened the knots in his brother's hair before combing through it. "I don't do anything, it does it by itself…" Kíli replied quietly and closed his eyes, the feel of Fíli's fingers in his hair was relaxing.

Fíli chuckled. "I can't blame you for not braiding your hair more often with how long it takes to untangle it first… turn around." Kíli did as he was asked and turned around, now facing his brother. Fíli started weaving intricate braids into Kíli's hair and ended with tying a part of his hair back. It wasn't much unlike Kíli's everyday hairstyle, only with a thin braid framing his face on each side and several even smaller braids adorning the rest of his hair.

"There… done. See if you like it," Fíli said as he leant back. Kíli took the mirror and inspected his brother's work. He liked it. But he always liked how Fíli did his hair, no matter what he did because it was Fíli who had done it. He didn't say that aloud, though. Instead he just nodded.

"I know you hate those feasts. I don't like them too much, either…" Fíli said. "It just seems so useless… and I know Thorin doesn't even like half of the people who are invited," Kíli answered, "So why even bother?"

"That's called politics." Fíli shrugged. "Ugh, I hate politics…" Kíli sighed. "But it's necessary," Fíli retorted. "I know, I know…" Kíli said and sighed again.

Fíli moved closer towards Kíli and wrapped his arms around him. "And I'm sure no one will notice if we leave a little earlier," he whispered, his lips brushing against Kíli's ear as he spoke. Kíli grinned. "Is that a promise?" "Yes," Fíli replied and kissed Kíli's cheek. "I'll hold you to it!" Kíli said and turned his head to press a chaste kiss to Fíli's lips.

Several hours later and Kíli was sure he had never been so bored in his entire life (if you didn't count lessons about dwarf history with Balin when Kíli and Fíli had been children). But the brothers were sitting right next to Thorin and Dís wasn't far away, either, so there was no way they could sneak away unnoticed.

"I'm going to die of boredom," Kíli announced in a whisper, leaning closer to his brother, "I didn't survive a quest and a battle only to die of boredom in this mountain." "I'm quite sure you won't die, brother," Fíli whispered back, his voice laced with amusement, "We could always find ourselves some girls to dance with… there seems to be plenty of choice…"

"I don't care for any of these girls," Kíli said although he had indeed noticed the looks both of them had gotten from the younger dwarf women tonight. Even some of the human women had looked at them with interest. But the only effect that had had on Kíli was that he wanted them to stop looking at Fíli like that. Fíli was his and his alone. They didn't know that but that didn't change a thing in Kíli's opinion.

It was then that their mother approached them, standing behind their chairs. "Why don't you two have mercy with those pining girls and grant them a dance or two?" She leaned down closer to them and continued more quietly: "And I'm sure you won't be missed at this table afterwards." Dís then smiled and walked off again.

Kíli and Fíli knew what she actually meant – "at least pretend you're enjoying yourselves and then you can go, but don't tell anyone I allowed it".

"Let's get this over with then?" Kíli sighed and Fíli nodded. "You should at least try to smile though when you ask a girl to dance," the older brother said as they made their way towards a group of giggling girls.

"I know how to treat a girl, Fíli." "Oh and how would that be? I always thought you have only ever been with me…" Fíli teased which earned him an elbow in the ribs. "Stop being so smug or I'll think of a way to punish you later," Kíli said. "Maybe in that case I should continue." Fíli smirked but said no more on the matter.

A few dances with girls who just wouldn't shut up later, Kíli was more than ready to leave these damn halls. He looked around, searching for Fíli and saw him talking to his dancing partner. He rolled his eyes and went over to where they stood.

"Fíli?" he said, taking a hold of his brother's wrist, "I need to talk to you." Fíli barely had the time to excuse himself before Kíli dragged him off and out of the hall.

"You're rather adorable when you get all jealous," Fíli said once they were far away from everyone. "I didn't like the way she looked at you… and you were flirting with her." Kíli frowned.

Fíli smiled. "I was only talking to her… I would never flirt with anyone but you," he said earnestly and kissed Kíli softly. The frown on Kíli's face disappeared and he nodded. "Let's go outside to get some fresh air?" he suggested. "Yeah… it was rather stifling in there," Fíli agreed.

They made their way to a small unguarded exit that lead to a secluded spot on the mountainside. They had been here before when they needed to get away from everyone and everything for a while and had no time to go very far.

"It's actually a beautiful night," Kíli said, looking up at the starry sky. "You're more beautiful, though," Fíli replied, embracing Kíli from behind and pressing a kiss to the side of his neck. "Shut up…" Kíli said, hitting his brother's arm half-heartedly. Fíli didn't need to see his younger brother's face to know he had just made him blush.

They stayed like that for a while, just enjoying the closeness, before Kíli grew restless. "These are so annoying," he said and started fumbling with the clasps of his braids. "No wait, let me…" Fíli's hand grabbed his and stopped him from opening the clasp.

Kíli turned around in his brother's arms and nodded before leaning in to peck Fíli's lips. Fíli slowly opened all the clasps and clips in Kíli's hair, taking his time with unravelling the braids he had woven earlier and combing through the strands of hair with his fingers.

Finally, Kíli's hair fell loose over his shoulders and Fíli cupped his face, pulling him close for another kiss. "May I make up for earlier and ask for a dance?" Fíli asked softly. "There's no music." Kíli chuckled. "We don't need music…"

Fíli extended his hand and Kíli took it. And then they danced. It wasn't even really dancing, without music and a rhythm, but they just settled for holding each other close and swaying from side to side. It wasn't really dancing and still it was more perfect than dancing at a feast could ever be.

And then as they kissed and nothing but them and the feeling of Fíli against him mattered in this world… Kíli decided those feasts weren't that bad. As long as he had Fíli to sneak away with.


End file.
